Closure appliance



Sept.. 6, 1949. s. BLOoMFlELD ET Al.

CLOSURE APPLIANCE 2 Sheets-Sheet l Filed July "7, 1945 Sept. 6, 1949. s. BLooMFlELD ETAL CLOSURE APPLIANCE 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed July "r, 1945 fig INVENTORS /l/ J Y HTTORNT Patented Sept. 6, 1949 UNITED STATES PATENT 'OFFICE CLO SURE APPLIANCE Samuel Bloomfield, Wichita, Kans., and Robert S. Wallach, Madison, N. J., assignors, by direct and mesne assignments, to C. Earl Bovey, Kansas City, Mo., as trustee Application July 7, 1945, Serial No. 603,602

2 Claims. l

This invention relates to a structurally and functionally improved closure appliance and in its more specific aspects aims to provide a unit of this character which will be particularly valuable when used in connection with closures of the crown type.

It is an object of the innvention to provide `an appliance by means of which a closure may readily =be removed from sealing position upon a 4loottle or similar receptacle and in which, preferably, the closure will remain in association with the appliance. Therefore, diflculties will not be experienced in having the crown drop free of the bottle as it is removed from the latter.

A further object is that of furnishing a unit of this character and by means of which a closure may readily be removed and re-applied in sealing relationship to the receptacle. In other words, the same closure, after removal from the receptacle, may be remounted thereon to effectively seal the interior of the bottle from the outside atmosphere.

In fact, in certain instan-ces, the character of seal provided will be more effective than the seal initially furnished at the time of bottling or filling the receptacle. This will be despite the fact that the closure, in being removed, may have been deformed to a considerable degree.

Another object is that of furnishing a closure appliance which may readily be manipulated to achieve the foregoing result with minimum effort and without any skill being necessary in performing the necessary operations.

An additional object is that of designing an appliance of this type which will include relatively few parts, each individually simple and rugged in construction, these parts being readily capable of manufacture -by quantity production methods and when so manufactured being adaptedy for ready assemblage to furnish a unit operating over long periods of time with freedom from allA difficulties.

With these and other objects in mind, reference is had to the attached sheets of drawings illustrating practical'embodiments of the invention, and in which:

Fig. 1 is a sectional side view of a unit showing the same employed in the removal of a closure from a bottle.

Fig. 2 is a bottom plan view partly in section and taken along the line 2-2 and in the direction of the arrows as indicated in Fig, 1;

Fig. 3 is a view similar to Fig. 1 but illustrating the position which the parts assume when the closure is to be reapplied;

Fig. 4 is a bottom plan view of the unit as illustrated in Fig. 3;

Fig. 5 is a transverse sectional View taken along the line 5--5 and in the direction of the arrows as indicated in Fig. l:

Fig. 6 is a sectional side view of a second form of appliance which may be constructed in accordance with the present teachings;

Fig. 7 is a bottom -plan view of the unit as shown in Fig. 6;

Fig. 8 is a sectional side view showing this unit in process of re-applying or mounting a cap; and

Fig. 9 is a sectional plan view taken along the line 9--9 and in the direction of the arrows as indicated in Fig. 8.

In these views, the reference numerals I0 and I I indicate a pair of arms. These are connected adjacent one of their ends by, for example, a link I2 and pivots I3. For convenience and economy of manufacture, the arms may be formed of sheet metal, although, as will be appreciated, they might bedesigned to embrace any desired configuration and material. In order that proper rigidity may loe incorporated in the arms, their sides may embrace inwardly extending flange portions I4 which may be continued in the form of flange portions I5. The latter will serve to provide surfaces which may be gripped 'by the hand of the user without injury or discomfort to the latter.

As illustrated in Figs. l to 5, the arm II is formed with a slot. The inner portion of this slot, indicated by the numeral I6, has a width in excess of the diameter of a closure such as the crown I1. It is contemplated that the latter, in accordance with conventional practice, will have its excess material disposed in the form of outwardly extending crimped portions IB which are defined in the skirt -portion of the cap. Also, the inner face of the closure will define a suitable number of layers I9, the outermost one of which may be in the form of a spot-seal for cooperation with the pouring lip of the bottle 2U. The foregoing constructions may, of course, be varied in accordance with commercial practice and in which case a greater or lesser variation of the construction of the closure appliance may follow.

As shown especially in Fig. 2, the slot or interrupted portion of the arm II is constricted adjacent its outer end vas indicated by the reference numeral 2|. At this point, its width will be substantially equal to the diameter of the bottle adjacent the upper end of the latter but will be less than the diameter of the closure and espelows that a closure may be introduced to have the upper end of its body within the area of arm H and at a-point at which the slot has maximum width. Thereafter. by simply 'shifting the appliance in a lateral plane, the neck of the closure will be 4confined within the reduced portion 2| of the slot. Under such conditions, if leverage is exerted to tilt one edge of the cap or closure upwardly, a removal of the latter from the neck ofthe receptacle will follow.

Such leverage is assured by providing a tongue portion 2 2 preferably as an integral part of the arm Il. 'I'his tongue portion extends-as shown in Fig. l-from the outer plane of the arm `il arms IO and Il disposed adjacent each otherwith its central point substantially aligned with the center of the reduced portion 24 of the slot.

Therefore, with the bottle disposed with reference to arm Il in the manner afore described and as shown in Fig. 3, it is apparent that any operator may Agrasp the handles II vand I I and cause them to assume positions at which they extend substantially parallel to leach other. In so shifting, the cup 25 will assume a position telescopically disposed with reference to the cap contact withv the pouring lip of the bottle.

inwardly withinthe body of the same 'to' a point adjacent the inner surface of that arm, and at least partially overlies the constricted portion of the slot 2l. v i

The most importanty function of the tongue portion 22, however, is that of retaining in association with the appliance the cap as the latter is removed from the receptacle. As will be apparent, this result is achieved incident to the spring tension which is incorporated in the tongue and the fact that the latter overlies the outer plane of the arm II a distance normally slightly less than the height of the cap. Therefore, as the closure is rocked from association with the receptacle, it is frictionally retained between the tongue and the inner surfaces of the arm Il.

The receptacle may now be removed from association with the appliance and its contents partially or wholly dispensed. Also, the cap may be slid in the direction of the greater widthI i6 of the slot so that it also may be removed from the appliance. As will be apparent, the tongue 22 or its functional equivalent might be eliminated I and the cap could still be removed because of contact with the in'ner face of arm I0. However, it is definitely preferred that some form of closure-retaining structure be incorporated in the appliance. i

1 As shown especially in Fig. 4, the arm I0 may be`formed with an opening somewhat similar to that defined by the edges I6 and 2| in the arm Il. VThe opening thus furnished will conveniently include an enlarged portion 23 and a reduced portion 2l. 'I'he enlarged portion is of a and will force the same downwardly into sealing Simultaneously, the cup will cam against the outwardly extending portions or crimps I8 of the cap and constrict the latter inwardly at points beyond the bead of the bottle. Therefore. a furwith the pouring lip and with its skirt constricted around the bead so that a subsequent, accidental removal or displacement is precluded.

diameter in excess of that defined by the skirt of a cap which may even have been deformed. The portion 24 has a diameter substantially equal to that of theneck of the bottle. Therefore, the bottle with a crown mounted thereon, may be introduced through the opening 23 -and moved to the Fig. 3 position.

In line with the reduced portion 24, the a Il, as shown in' Figs. 1 to 5, carries a cup 25. This cup functions as a die to conform the materialof 'the cap and to constrict the skirt of the latter so that the liner iB will be disposed in sealing relationship with respect to the mouth of the receptacle. The side wall of the cup slopes preferably uniformly to a maximum diameter at the rim; the cup fits easily over the distorted cap, and exerts a gradually increasing camming effect thereon. For the conventional and widely used crown cap seal, which itself-has a slightly sloping side wall,a,1lare angle of the order of ten degrees is appropriate for the cup 25. This cup 25 maybe secur'ed in any desired manner to the arm Il as by a rivet 26, spot welding or otherwise. As has been shown in the several views afore referred to, the cup 25 will lie-with the Therefore, a user will nothave toy employ an auxiliary closure when partially dispensing the contents of a receptacle and attempting to reseal the same. This is particularly advantageous in that a proper type crown or similar closure initially provided at the time of yfilling of the receptacle is far more desirable torre-use than is an vauxiliary appliance which may permit an escape of carbondloxide which may be incorporated within ,the iluid body within the receptacle. By the use of an appliance constructed in accordance with the present teachings,l such resealing becomes entirely feasible.

As will be apparent, the several parts embraced within the present appliance may be arranged in any number of different manners and incorporated in one or the other of the arms of the same. Also, in lieu of employing a cup such as 25, a forming and applying unit may be provided` as an integral part of one of the arms. This has been especially shown in Figs. 6 to 9 inclusive.

In these views, the reference numerals heretofore employed again indicate similar parts. f However, as will be noted, the arm Il is formed with an opening'in line with the reduced portion 24 of the slot in the arm I0. This opening is defined by an inwardly extending flange 21. This flange has a minimum diameter equal to the normal sealed diameter of the crown or cap and flares outwardly to a maximum diameter as discussed with respect to cup 25. Therefore, with the parts disposed as afore described and pressure being brought against the outer ends of the arms I0 and Il in order to force these arms intopositions adjacent each other, it follows that the partially deformed gap will be forced into the bore dened by flange Consequently, this flange will, through frictional and physical contact, force the cap to have its liner sealingly contact the pouring lip of the receptacle. Additionally, the flange will cam against the skirt portions of the cap. Therefore, the skirt will be constricted around the bead of the receptacle tonot alone assure the establishment of a proper seal but also to prevent a subsequent accidental displacement of the cap from the receptacle.

Thus, among others, the several objects of the invention as specifically afore noted are achieved. Obviously, numerous changes in construction and rearrangements of the parts might be resorted to without departing from the spirit of the invention as defined by the claims.

We claim:

l. A closure appliance including in' combination a pair of arms, a link pivotally connecting said arms, a cup rigidly carried by one of said arms for forcing a cap into position upon a receptacle, and the second of said arms defining a closed slot to receive the neck oi' the receptacle and supporting the same in operative relationship with respect to said cup, one end of said slot having a width greater than the width of said cap, said end merging into an opposite end having` a width less 'than the'width of said capj.

2. A closure appliance including in combination a pair of arms, a link pivotally connecting said arms, one of said arms being formed with an opening, a iiange deiining said opening and functioning to apply a cap to a receptacle, and the second of said arms being formed with a slot to receive the neck of said receptacle and support the latter in operative relationship with respect to said liiange.

SAMUEL BLOOMFIELD. ROBERT S. WALLACH.

REFERENCES CITED The following references arel ot record in the me of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Name Date I Fleagle July 4, 1916 Number 

